No matter where you live or what kind of dog you have, parasites like fleas and ticks are nearly impossible to avoid forever. Keeping your dog free of fleas and ticks is a health and hygiene concern not only for your dog but for you as well. With so many different flea and tick products available, finding the right choice can seem overwhelming.

One way to narrow down your options is to decide what type of product you prefer, for example, a flea and tick pill. Even then, you might need some help picking and that’s where we come in. We’ve collected reviews of what we think are the five best flea and tick pills for dogs this year. Hopefully, you will find these helpful as you search for the best product for your dog.

A Quick Glance at Our 2024 Favorites

The 5 Best Flea and Tick Pills For Dogs 

1. Bravecto Chew For Dogs – Best Overall

Our choice for the best overall flea and tick pill for dogs is the Bravecto Chew. We like this product because a single chewable tablet controls fleas and ticks for 3 months. Remembering to give monthly flea and tick medication can be hard for busy people and this pill cuts your remembering days down to only 4 per year! Most dogs love the chewable tablet and the cost is affordable. It does require a prescription, but the major downside of this product is it can’t be used on puppies younger than 6 months. Even owners whose dogs spend a lot of time outdoors in peak tick season found that this product was effective at preventing infestations. Convenient, affordable, and effective? Sounds like the best overall pick to us!

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2. Nexgard Chew For Dogs – Best Value

Our choice of the best flea and tick pill for the money is the Nexgard Chew for dogs. This tasty beef-flavored chew tab works quickly, killing adult fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs, not only freeing your dog from itchiness but breaking the life cycle of the fleas. Nexgard can be used on dogs as young as 8 weeks, making it a good choice for new puppy owners. Some owners who live in areas with heavy flea populations found that this product did not control fleas for the full month. Because this tablet does have a beef flavoring, owners of dogs with food allergies should check with their vet before using it.

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3. Simparica Trio – Premium Choice

Using this product is the equivalent of dropping a nuclear bomb on all your dog’s parasites. Not only does Simparica Trio kill fleas and ticks, but it also prevents heartworm disease and kills two intestinal parasites: roundworms and hookworms. All this firepower doesn’t come cheap and this is definitely not the option for those on a tight budget. Simparica Trio can be used on puppies as young as 8 weeks, works quickly, and eliminates the need to remember to give your dog both flea and tick and heartworm medication monthly. Although advertised as a chewable pill, many owners found that the tablet was actually quite hard and is larger than expected. Some dogs may refuse to eat it on their own.

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4. Credelio Chewable Tablets – Best for Puppies

If your puppy is a fast-growing large or giant breed, buying a 3 or 6-month supply of flea and tick medication could be a waste if your dog outgrows the weight range too fast. For these owners, Credelio chewable tablets might be the best option. These flea and tick pills can be purchased a single dose at a time while your puppy is growing, ensuring you always get them the right dose without wasting your money. The chew is small and soft and most owners found their dog ate it easily. Some owners found this product less effective on ticks in areas with heavy parasite populations.

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5. Simparica Chewable Tablets For Dogs

The slightly less expensive, less nuclear cousin to our premium choice, the Simparica Chewable tablets kill fleas and five types of ticks, compared to the one or two types killed by most products. Like Bravecto, this product can only be used on dogs 6 months and older. Most owners found this product effective but disliked the price. Like Simparica Trio, this chew is designed to kill fleas before they can lay eggs and ticks before they can transmit diseases. Because this product (and all flea and tick pills) is designed to kill parasites after they bite the dog, it may not be the best choice for dogs with bad flea allergies that react to even the slightest bite.

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Buyer’s Guide – Finding the Best Flea and Tick Pills For Your Dog

Now that you know more about your options for flea and tick pills, let’s talk a little more about flea and tick products in general and how to decide between the different types. Flea and tick pills have many pros but also some cons, as do the other parasite control products.

Why Does My Dog Need Flea and Tick Control?

While trying to decide whether flea and tick pills are right for you, you might have wondered whether parasite control is even necessary at all. As we mentioned in the introduction, fleas and ticks are found nearly everywhere and almost all dogs will be exposed. Once infested with fleas, your dog can pass them to other pets or you.

Dealing with a flea infestation in your home can be expensive, frustrating, and extremely itchy! Keeping fleas away from your dog in the first place is much easier.

Fleas can also spread diseases, not just to your dog but to you as well. Have you ever heard of the Black Death bubonic plague from medieval times? Guess what pesky little bloodsuckers were responsible for spreading that one? Dogs can also get tapeworms, an intestinal parasite, from swallowing infected fleas.

In severe cases, a dog (usually a puppy) can be so heavily infested with fleas that they become anemic from blood loss.

Ticks are responsible for spreading diseases as well, the most well-known of which is probably Lyme disease. Tick-borne illnesses can be tough to diagnose, expensive to treat, and may ultimately prove fatal.

Pills vs Topical vs Collars

Now that we have your attention regarding the need for flea and tick control, let’s talk more about the pros and cons of the most commonly used methods.

Flea and Tick Collars

For many years, collars were about the only options if you wanted a long-lasting flea and tick control method. They are still one of the cheapest options, especially if you use a collar purchased over the counter. Flea and tick collars can be effective but must be correctly fitted around your dog’s neck to work properly. In addition, they usually lose their effectiveness if they get wet. Not all collars are created equal, and those who opt for the over-the-counter option may not be pleased with the results.

Topical Products

Flea and tick products applied to the skin are another option you could choose. These types of products have also been in use for a long time, so long that some fleas and ticks are becoming resistant to their active ingredients.

While their specifications vary, many topical products not only kill fleas and ticks but actively repel them away from your dog. Because of this, they are a good choice for dogs with flea allergies that break out at even the slightest touch of a flea.

Topical products are usually relatively easy to apply but can get messy, especially if your dog is very active. Some dog flea and tick products are toxic to cats and could even cause a reaction if the cat touches the applied liquid on the dog’s body. Owners of both dogs and cats will need to be aware and cautious if they choose a topical product.

Pills

Flea and tick pills are generally the most convenient way to treat your dog for parasites. They aren’t messy like topical products, and you don’t have to worry about your cat getting sick from touching them. Parents may also feel more comfortable avoiding topical products or collars with young children in the house.

We touched on some of the cons of flea and tick pills in our reviews. Primarily, not all dogs will eat them, and then how do you get this big tablet down their throats? Pills also generally don’t repel fleas and ticks because their products work by entering the dog’s bloodstream and poisoning the parasites when they bite.

What About All-Natural Products?

Flea and tick pills, like many medications, have some potential side effects, some of which could be serious. Dog owners who worry about these side effects or prefer using natural remedies as a general rule might wonder if there are options like these for flea and tick control.

Some commonly suggested natural flea and tick repellents include garlic, brewer’s yeast, essential oils, or dish soap baths. While some natural flea and tick remedies may work to a certain extent, most do not, and some are dangerous to your dog. Garlic, for example, is toxic to dogs and could even kill one if they eat enough of it. Many essential oils are also dangerous or irritating to dogs.

Conclusion

As the best overall flea and tick pill for dogs, Bravecto combines convenience and long-lasting effectiveness at a reasonable cost. Our pick of the best flea and tick pill for the money, Nexgard is a tasty and cost-conscious option for dogs as young as 8 weeks old. We hope our reviews of the top five flea and tick pills for dogs have made you better informed as you decide on the right product for your dog. No matter what flea and tick pill (or other product) you choose, remember to always check with your veterinarian first to learn how to properly administer or apply it and any side effects to watch out for.

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Featured Image Credit: Olya Maximenko, Shutterstock